Congenital stationary night blindness in a Thoroughbred and a Paso Fino.

The research article discusses the occurrence of congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB), an inherited vision impairment, in two horses from the Thoroughbred and Paso Fino breeds.

Objective and Methodology

• The primary objective of this study was to document cases of Congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) in two non-Appaloosa horse breeds, specifically Thoroughbred and Paso Fino.
• The researchers used methods such as recording the horses’ vision impairment history since their birth, conducting ophthalmic examinations, and using electroretinographic findings in their research.

Findings

• The research found that the symptoms and results from these methods were consistent with CSNB.
• In the case of the Thoroughbred, the researchers did a 9-year follow-up and continued to find these consistent results.
• The Paso Fino, on the other hand, had severe vision impairment since birth, which continued into its first year. This impairment was present in both dim and bright light situations.

Conclusion and Further Actions

• Due to the severity of the vision impairment in the Paso Fino, the decision was made for humane euthanasia.
• Following this, a histopathologic examination was conducted which confirmed the diagnosis of CSNB.
• The research thus provided valuable insight into the occurrence of CSNB in non-Appaloosa horse breeds, paving the way for further studies in this area.